


Maybe The Universe Is On Our Side

by SonOfGondor



Category: What If It's Us - Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
Genre: ? - Freeform, Arthur POV, Do over - Freeform, Fluff, Getting Back Together, I don't know how musical lotteries work but stick with me, M/M, Post book ending, Spoilers!, how do I even tag this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 16:03:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20603519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonOfGondor/pseuds/SonOfGondor
Summary: The impossible has happened: Arthur has won the Hamilton lottery. He invites his best friend, because how can he not? His best friend that is also his ex-boyfriend that he's still in love with. Maybe the universe is really on their side this time.





	Maybe The Universe Is On Our Side

**Author's Note:**

> I did not like the ending of the book at all, and then I remembered I could fix it. So here's a fic, no idea if it's good but I did like writing it so I hope you enjoy reading it. Also, all my hamilton knowledge is from my two ex-girlfriends so if it's wrong blame them. 
> 
> (Arthur is not the only one with a complicated love life lol)

It all started when I won the lottery. No, not the money one. The better one: the _Hamilton _lottery. Maybe the universe set me up to it, maybe it was me, studying History at 3am and deciding not to give up on my dreams even if my dreams were all the way over in New York. So I signed up again, knowing I wouldn’t win. And I didn’t. I didn’t win the first time, nor the second one, or the third. But I won the sixth one. I also aced that History test.

Of all people that should come to me with Hamilton, why wouldn’t it be Ben? Ben was, after all, my best friend. Besides, he’s already living in New York so yes, it could only be Ben. For no other reason but –

No, I’m done fooling myself. Even after years, even after the breakup, my feelings for Ben are not strictly platonic. How can they be when I want to kiss his every freckle, when the simple existence of his lips reminds me of kissing them?

My heart races every time the door opens. I saw him yesterday, but FaceTime and Real Life just isn’t the same, and he could be here right now, any moment now. Maybe five minutes late though.

He hurries in, six minutes late, his eyes scanning the coffee shop and finally landing on me. He smiles and I would give my Hamilton tickets to know what he’s feeling. If his stomach is turning – no, not turning, doing somersaults like it’s trying to set a world record – like mine, if his heart is beating faster than Lin Manuel Miranda can rap, if…

“Hey.”

Fuck, I forgot what his voice sounds like up close. In Real Life. This is Ben and he’s really here and he’s really real.

“Hi.”

I don’t know whether to smile or to cry, to hug him or give him a handshake, because we’re friends right? Best friends. Best friends don’t give out handshakes. So I hug him and nearly drown in his body heat. He’s still taller than me by quite a lot. I let go before I can think of kissing.

“You won,” Ben says. “That’s incredible.”

“Right?” I smile and feel the adrenaline flow into my veins. Hamilton is good, Hamilton is safe to talk about, and fuck, it is good. In general. “I can’t believe it.”

“You didn’t have to invite me. I know I screwed up your first chance…”

“Shut up.” I dampen the hardness of the words with a smile. “You didn’t screw up.”

“I did a little.”

“Okay.” I try not to look too deep into his eyes when I remember that moment. “You did a little.”

He shakes his head with a smile. I hope he has forgiven himself. For everything. And I hope he has forgiven me too.

“But I wasn’t going to let anyone else come. Not even for a chance of petty revenge.”

He laughs. That smile looks so much better in real life than on a computer screen, and I blink. _Hamilton. _

“I’ve been studying up on the soundtrack,” Ben says, “I really can’t wait.”

“I didn’t need to study up,” I say. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t. I’ve listened to the soundtrack for days. I fell asleep in in my dreams and Alexander Hamilton showed up. Like, his white version though. But he was rapping with Lin Manuel Miranda’s voice?”

Ben nods.

“Sorry,” I say, “That’s probably so boring.”

“No!” He goes to sit upright immediately. “It’s not. Not at all.”

“No?”

“No, you’re interesting.” I’m not sure if I’m imagining the blush on his face.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah.” Ben looks away. “So where are you staying?”

“My mom set me up with a hotel. You should see the room, it’s crazy. There’s champagne on the desk, and bubble water, and even those fancy chocolates that are so good.”

“Sounds nice,” Ben says, but I can feel this smile is faked.

“Oh shit. Sorry.” I swallow. “I could steal those chocolates for you?”

“You better.” Ben’s real smile returns. “Do they know you’re only twenty?”

“They should,” I say. “And they gave me the champagne anyway. It’s like they knew.”

“It’s not every day you win the Hamilton lottery.”

“Still, between us we won it twice. That’s pretty impressive.”

“Maybe the universe is on our side.” Ben blushes and I’m pretty sure he’s not talking about Hamilton tickets anymore.

“Maybe it is.”

* * *

I know people dress up to see musicals, but I didn’t prepare myself for Ben In A Suit. Shit. When he arrives at the subway station he looks like a movie star, one of those stars that a lot of girls and some boys and probably some non-binary people too swoon over. I’d put a poster of him up, over my bed, roommates be damned.

“Hey.” Ben comes in like he doesn’t know he might be the hottest person on earth. And space. Even the sun stands no chance. “How do I look?”

_Amazing. Show-stopping. Awe-inspiring. _“Good.”

“You too.”

“I gotta look good if I’m going to meet Lin Manuel Miranda.”

“You’re not going to meet Lin Manuel Miranda.”

“Let me dream.”

Ben laughs. “I hope you meet Lin Manuel Miranda. I hope all your dreams come true, Arthur Seuss.”

“I thought I was supposed to be the extra one?”

“Maybe you infected me.”

I can’t help but think of what he did for me that last day in New York.

“I think I did. Speaking of extra, how’s _the Wicked Wizard War _going?” I ask, like I don’t know. “I saw it on the Wattpad front page.”

“_The Wicked Wizard War_ is not extra!”

“Your fans are though.”

He pushes me playfully. “Don’t forget you were my first one.”

I throw my hands up. “I’m not denying anything.”

“It’s going well,” he says. “I’ve passed a hundred thousand views.”

“Wow.” I gasp. “That’s huge.”

“Yeah, it’s crazy. And I got fanfiction now.”

“Fanfiction? Really?”

“Yeah. If that ain’t goals…”

“Is it sexy?” I wriggle my eyebrows and as soon as I ask, I want to take it back. It’s not like I don’t know the main ship.

“Sometimes.” He blushes. “I try not to read it. It’s their thing, not mine.”

“At least you’re cool with it.”

“Of course I am. I’m not one of those uncool authors that’s gonna sue them.”

“Oooh scary Ben Alejo is coming for your fanfiction.”

“Shut up.” He laughs and blushes. “I’m not.”

“I know.”

I thank the universe for the push of the people hurrying towards the carriages that force my eyes away from his face.

* * *

I’m still on a high when it’s over. It’s probably crazy, so crazy I haven’t even told Ben, but there’s something about musicals that makes me so happy, so… different. Helpless. Like Eliza Schuyler. Like I’m-starting-to-re-evaluate-my-life helpless. Like I’m-undeniably-in-love-with-Ben-Alejo helpless.

Oh.

* * *

We’re sitting in Dream & Bean and I’m glowing. I’m glowing with musical high, I can feel the heat coming from my skin and my words, but of all the things I’m rambling – and I’m rambling, but Ben is listening like I’m not – my feelings for Ben are not part of it.

Only after an hour does the hyper part of the glow wear off and I settle in a calm afterglow. I look at Ben and smile at him. This is perfect. Maybe as perfect as it’ll get for us. Am I willing to keep settling?

“You know,” I start, “I’m glad I won the Hamilton lottery.”

Which is, of course, the stupidest thing to say. Nobody is _not _happy to win the Hamilton lottery. People don’t use winning the lottery as a weak ploy to get to see your ex-boyfriend again, people go to Hamilton and that’s the dream come true. Nobody walks in there with a secret plan to go do anything else but watch the best musical that has ever existed.

“Sorry,” I say, when Ben gives me a puzzled look, “of course I’m happy about it. That’s – I mean, of course, it’s _Hamilton._”

“Arthur?”

“What I mean is, I’m happy to see you. Like, really.”

“I’m happy to see you too.” My heart stops when he takes my hands, lying on the table. “Really.”

I swallow. “When do you think a do over first date is no longer a do over? After years? After two people dated and broke up?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” I take a deep breath. “Do you think the universe is on our side? As, you know, us?”

“Couple us?”

I nod but don’t look into his eyes. “Yes.”

“Maybe.” Ben takes a deep breath. “I must admit, you’re…”

“Hot?” I try to laugh but it comes out all warped.

“Yes. And wonderful. And amazing.”

“Shut up,” I say. What I mean is, _what do you mean. _

“No. I… do want a do over. Not a first date do-over but a relationship do-over. But not a return to zero. I don’t think that’s possible. And there’s a lot to… discuss.” 

I’m not sure whether to be elated or to be disappointed.

“I know.”

“Arthur.” I look up. “I want to try again.”

“Really?” I finally dare to smile again. “Really really?”

“Yes. Really really. Do you want a date do over?”

“I go home tomorrow,” I say, and my heart sinks again. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

It’s quiet for a few minute and I feel the warmth of his hands in mine, count the freckles of his skin, but barely dare to breathe.

“Weren’t we looking for the perfect first date?”

I nod.

Ben looks around, looks at me and smiles. “I think we accidently did it.”

Yes. Shit, he’s right, we did it. The perfect date and it was an accident. We just lived through it, just _did_ it. The perfect first date. Different than the others, but good. Good different.

“I think we did.”

“And all we needed were the impossible chances of a lottery.”

“We’ve beaten chance before.”

Ben smiles. “I think the universe is on our side.”


End file.
